McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge

For the price ($340), this was a disappointment. The room was “town view”, which should be called “parking lot and freeway view”. The front desk guy was unwelcoming, the restaurant staff was abrupt and not attentive. The room decor was pretty but there was no refrigerator or microwave. The towels were small and thin.

I really liked this hotel, especially the location. I had a room with a balcony facing the river and it was so peaceful. One reason is that there are no other buildings on the other side of the river, so the view is pristine and not cluttered with other hotels, condos and homes. The staff was very nice and the grounds are well laid out. I especially liked the park where free musical groups played in the evening and the public market which featured boutique shops rather than the usual tacky tourist souvenirs that so many other tourist locations seem to have. There is also a paved walkway along the river that guests and others use for a stroll or more vigorous exercise. The only negatives I have are that my room was very dark when the sun went down, in spite of multiple lamps and ceiling fixtures which made it hard to read. The other is that the restaurants on site have disappointingly mediocre food. However, I did have a great mai tai. I would not hesitate to return!

Went for dinner on our Anniversary. The view was beautiful but really that was the only good thing. Maybe we expected too much. Staff were dressed in very casual clothing, blue jeans and all mismatched. Our service person looked like she had barely made it out of bed that afternoon. Her hair wasn’t even combed. No hostess to seat us, waited 15 minutes on a week night. Finally a server got us to our table. No friendly banter. The food, eh! Husband had steak and garlic mashed potatoes. Not even a sauce came on them. I had fish and chips that tasted like the came from a burger place. We watched a staff member light the outdoor fire pit and then smoke a cigarette with a guest. Really expected more.

Visit Jeremy at the Ahles Point Cabin down the path from the lodge. He is so friendly and knowledgeable about the area. We learned a lot and he answered all of our silly questions. And the service can’t be beat! We stopped in for a quick bite and beverage and he made our day! Such a nice guy.

I had high hopes for this new hotel located on the Columbia River and it was only an hour away from Portland. Yes, I'll give it a high five for great view of the river and mostly private porch. Having said that, this hotel is not particularly well run. Elevators not working all day on Sunday - so if you're on the 4th floor and need to haul your luggage down well... As far as on site restaurants - yes, they have great views as well, but same mediocre McMenamins food you get at any of their locations. If you're looking for a cozy bed, this is not the place. Sheets were low quality and scratchy. Management would be wise to keep staff on site and not send them home even if there is a slow period. Our staff member was working alone trying to serve quite a few people. She did a good job but sure could have used a helping hand. Yes, there is a coffee bar downstairs off the main lounge, but don't count on it being re-supplied if the coffee or cream are empty. For the money that was spent for a night (as in $387) I probably would have driven to Seattle and stayed at 4-star hotel with a view!

The only reason this restaurant is still standing, is because they have a captive audience. The worst salmon, on top of an even more horrific Caesar salad. Our server was either in capable or overwhelmed, and we never could get her attention long enough to find out the reason. Keep driving!